Enough to Kill For

Chapter Seven

"Why me, sir?" Brian asked, puzzled.

"You know why, Detective Kelly. It's eerily similar to a previous case..." DeMosse spoke, before he watched Brian look away from him quickly.

"I don't want this case, Captain." Brian spoke; tense, tossing the papers onto the Captain's desk. "I think it would be best to give it to someone else."

"That wasn't an option, Detective. That's an order. You're the best detective for the job, not because of your skills, but because I know for a fact you'll solve this case. You may not want to admit it, but you have a talent for solving cases with this kind of outcome." DeMosse proclaimed.

"I wouldn't call that a talent, sir." Brian protested, trying to keep himself relaxed.

"Well, whatever it is, you're not going to let it go to waste by not taking this case, understand? Jake, I'm going to need a surveillance team at his place as well as a protective detail to watch him wherever he goes. Work on getting that setup. Brian, I want you to talk with Mr. Bell and explain the situation to him. You'll be his main source of contact during this case." DeMosse stated, his voice stern.

"Sir, please..." Brian protested desperately, before he paused at the sight of the captain's aggressive eyes.

"I will not argue this anymore, Detective Kelly. Get to work." DeMosse spoke, his word reigning as law.

Gathering the papers, Jake quietly looked between the two men like a child watching a heated argument between parents. He watched his partner stare back towards their boss with such defiance, but he knew that the captain's word was final and Brian wouldn't dare object. With that, Brian turned on his heel and exited the room, not looking back once.

"Captain... I'm not trying to seem rude, but do you think this is smart?" Jake asked quietly, glancing over towards the older man.

"Kingston, that's something I'd rather not answer. I'm just going to trust my instincts on this one." DeMosse answered, adjusting in his seat. "But, I know why you would answer... he looks... just like him..."

"Right, sir. I agree." Jake spoke, a sigh escaping him before he made his way out the door.

-

The way Brian stood there and watched him from a distance made him feel like a frightened teenager who was afraid to speak with a crush. Except, it wasn't a crush at all. It was as if he was seeing a ghost. Brian still couldn't fathom why Captain DeMosse would put him on this case. It was like pure torture, mental and emotional. He watched Tristan sit on the bench and stare down towards his shoes in a distant daze, seeming to be lost to the world around him. Either way, it was still a murder case and Brian needed to solve it. To him, the sooner he did, the sooner he wouldn't have to look at Tristan's face ever again.

"Mr. Bell?" Brian asked calmly, looking downwards towards the younger man below him. He caught sight of Tristan's brown eyes as they looked up in curiosity, reflecting the same fascination Brian emitted. "I'm Detective Brian Kelly. I'll be working on your case."

"Ah, hello detective..." Tristan spoke softly; forcing his mind to function as he tried to process the fact that the same attractive man from earlier was gazing down towards him. He never would've thought that they would meet again, especially under such circumstances. "I think... we met... already..." he forced out, trying his best to appear normal.

"Briefly, yes. I apologize for my partner. Detective Kingston can be a handful, sometimes." Brian spoke with a small smile, taking a seat next to Tristan as coolly as he could. "However, he is working to make sure that you'll be properly watched for the time being. We'd rather you not be left alone until this case is solved. So, we will have police officers watching you at your place of residence, as well as a protective detail keeping an eye on you from a distance, as to not draw attention in case the suspect is stalking you."

"You... think it's... a stalker?" Tristan asked, surprised.

"It appears so. Usually, someone with stalker tendencies can often lose sense of morality when someone catches their attention. It becomes obsessive, to the point where they can often hurt others in order to make sure the object of their affection is treated fairly. The fact that someone sent you strange messages, as well as killed Mr. Branson, gives us the inclination that it's a stalker." Brian spoke with certainty.

"But... that means... it could be anyone..." Tristan stated, his eyes glazing over in paranoia.

"Possibly. Sometimes, it's someone that the stalked individual may already know. But don't worry; you'll be completely safe at all times. I won't allow anything to happen to you." Brian spoke, his voice filled with assurance.

Tristan eyed Brian carefully, not helping but to trust in the detective's words. "Thank you, detective." Tristan spoke softly, his gaze moving towards the floor once again.

"No need for thanks. It's my job." Brian stated, before getting to his feet. "I'll have an officer drive you back home. I'll be in contact with you."

Tristan nodded, a small smile being shown before his gaze dropped to his hands, seeing them fidget nervously. He saw Brian's feet turn slightly, beginning to walk away from him. "Detective?"

Brian looked back over his shoulder, a brooding look on his face. "Yes, Mr. Bell?"

"Um, Tristan is fine, please." Tristan spoke with a small laugh. "You sound like one of my students when you call me that..." he stated, before continuing. "If possible, would you be able to drive me home?"

Stunned, Brian turned to face Tristan completely, not expecting such a request to be spoken.

"Sure, he can!" Jake butted in quickly, patting Brian on the back roughly before he could speak. "I'm sure you'd rather be taken home by the detective who's going to be making sure no one harms you, right?"

Tristan blinked, wondering where the carefree man came from. He then pieced together in his mind that this was Brian's partner. It soon made the scene at the bookstore make perfect sense. They weren't a couple; they were coworkers. He was sure Victor would be happy to know that.

"I, well... sure. I can drive you home, if that's what you'd like." Brian spoke, hesitantly, before he sent Jake a threatening stare.

"I would... thank you..." Tristan stated, placing his hands into his pockets as he did so.

"Give me a moment to gather my things, and we can head out." Brian spoke, before turning and walking away quickly, Jake at his heels after he sent a wink in Tristan's direction, seeing the young man tilt his head in puzzlement.

"I'm going to kill you, Jake." Brian muttered under his breath when they reached his desk.

"Brian, I just know that one day, in the future, you're going to thank me for this." Jake stated, a grin crawling onto his face with glee.

-

A/N: I'll admit now that one of my favorite characters to write in this story is Jake. He gets much more entertaining as this story progresses.

A special thanks to my Patreons oooweemama and Ella! Like always, if you want to read a chapter ahead, it will be up on my Patreon tomorrow before being posted next week.

Until then!

-Blu